ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Delaware State News and the Dorchester Banner collected six best-of-show design awards and 16 overall first-place awards in the 2022 Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association contest.

The Delaware State News won four first-place awards in news categories. The staff was honored for its 2022 Voters Guide at BaytoBayNews.com and its “Diabetes in Delaware” and “Fears of Fentanyl” series.

In addition, copy editor Beth Skinner won first place in the headline category for “Lemon-aid: Profits from Smyrna brothers’ juice stand benefit Food Bank.”

Graphic artist D.J. Short had best-of-show design honors in five categories, sharing two with marketing and advertising consultant Dave Cannon of the Dorchester Banner.

Angi Hicks and Joy Ferrio of the Delaware State News won a best-of-show award in the large print advertising category.

Winners in design and news categories were honored at a ceremony Friday in Annapolis.

The Delmarva Group of Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA includes BaytoBayNews.com, the Delaware State News, the Dorchester Banner, the Salisbury Independent and the Crisfield-Somerset County Times.

The contest, governed by the association’s Editorial and Advertising committees, admitted more than 1,400 entries among 85 categories.

There are seven divisions in the contest, which groups member publications into daily and nondaily print and online-only categories, then further group them by circulation. One best-in show award is given in each category across all divisions.

The entries were judged by members of the Louisiana Press Association.

Independent Newsmedia honors included:

DELAWARE STATE NEWS

Best of show in design

• Business (nonretail) ad, large print only — The Everett Theatre, Angi Hicks, Joy Ferrio.
• Online only ad — Beauty Unleashed, D.J. Short.
• Retail ad, small print only — Blue Hen Guns, D.J. Short.

First place in news

• Headline — “Lemon-aid: Profits from Smyrna brothers’ juice stand benefit Food Bank,” Beth Skinner.
• Wild Card, local election coverage — Delaware State News Voters’ Guide, Staff.
• Medical/science reporting — “Diabetes in Delaware,” Staff.
• Series — “Fears of fentanyl,” Tim Mastro, Craig Anderson.

First place in design

• Business (non-retail) ad, Small print only, Ultrasound Express, Angi Hicks.
• Feature Page Design, Halloween Gang Page, Angi Hicks and Bonnie Mankin.
• Restaurant / Entertainment ad, Large print only, Trevi Ristorante, DJ Short.
• Advertising-driven Special Section- in-paper product, Bay to the Beach Winter 2022, Tom Maglio, Laura Walter.

Second place in news

• Sports column — “’72 Senators are reuniting 50 years later,” Andy Walter.
• Continuing coverage — “Delaware’s dangerous roads,” Craig Anderson.
• Sports story — “Local baseball fans have caught Phillies phever,” Craig Horleman.
• Series — “Diabetes in Delaware,” Staff.

Second place in design

• Online-only ad — Concord Pets, D.J. Short.
• Business (nonretail) ad, large print only — Walls of Wonder (Bay to the Beach), D.J. Short, Bonnie Mankin.
• Custom publication — Sussex County Profile, Tom Maglio, Laura Walter.

DORCHESTER BANNER

Best of show in design

• Business (nonretail) ad, small print only — Bayside Driving School, D.J. Short, Dave Cannon.
• Multimedia ad — Bay Country Bakery, D.J. Short, Dave Cannon.

Second place in design

• Multimedia ad — Europa, DJ Short, Dave Cannon.
• Custom publication — Water Moves Us: Economic Profile, Tom Maglio, Laura Walter.

SALISBURY INDEPENDENT

Second place in news

• General news story — “Perdue emerald,” Susan Canfora.

SUSSEX POST

Best of show in design

• Restaurant/entertainment ad, large print only — Diamond Lasertag, D.J. Short.

First place in design

• Business (nonretail) ad, large print only — McQueen, Angi Hicks.

CRISFIELD-SOMERSET COUNTY TIMES

First place in design

• Business (nonretail) ad, large print only — Chesapeake Health, Angi Hicks.